The Rat Legend Reversed Friends of some friends of ours went on holiday to a caravan site in Norfolk. While there, one of the family, the young daughter, noticed a poor little white rat shivering outside their caravan. Being an animal lover, she knew that white rats are domesticated and that it must have been abandoned by an uncaring owner. She brought it into the caravan, dried it off and made it a nice snug little bed in a cardboard box. Her mother was agreeable to keeping the rat so the family purchased a spacious cage, a wheel for it to run round and plenty of food. The daughter doted on 'Ratty' and taught him some tricks. Soon she had taught him to fetch his toys, to respond to his name and to sit on her shoulder while she did her homework. One day she decided to enter Ratty in a show held by the local rodent fanciers society. She entered him in several classes, including one for performing some tricks and Ratty scooped up the prizes. She was delighted when Ratty was named Overall Champion at his first ever show. As she went up to collect the trophy, one of the judges asked to hold Ratty. The judge took off his glasses to take a closer look at the prize-winning white rat and exclaimed 'This isn't a rat - it's a bloody Chihuahua!'. Ratty and his owner were disqualified and went home in disgrace. Last thing I heard, Ratty was taken to the local dog pound and the girl had bought herself a proper rat. :)